Rings To Go
by Opal Soul
Summary: Romance with bits of comedy thrown in. To anime's favorite couple, Serena and Darien, Burger King holds something special. Read to find out why! Sort of a sequel to May I Take Your Order? You don't have to read it first to understand, but... it's reco


Rings To Go  
By: Opal Soul  
Brief AN: This is sort of a sequel to May I Take Your Order?, which was pure comedy without any romance. I've included the one paragraph from the said story that would make the most impact on this new romance of mine. Enjoy, I hope! There are more notes from *me* at the bottom . . . I sincerely don't know if you'll read those, but . . . *sighs*  
Disclaimer: Do you *think* I'm talented enough to own Sailor Moon? And I don't own Burger King, either.  
  
"Burger King. May I take your order?" Darien spoke tiredly, not bothering to look up.  
  
Soft giggles. "Hi, Darien."  
  
"Serena!" he blurted. For a moment a smile transformed his face, making it even more handsome. (AN: Is that possible?) Then he closed himself up again. "I mean, Meatball Head, flunk any tests lately?"  
  
"WAAHH!" Serena wailed, flopping onto the floor dejectedly and crying. "MY DARIEN DOESN'T LOVE ME ANYMORE!"  
  
Darien grimaced. "Meatball Head, lower the decibels! I never loved you to begin with!"  
  
Serena looked up, confused. "Oh. That's right." A deep sadness seemed to glaze over her eyes. Darien was sorry to see the spark quenched, but decided there was nothing he could do about it. Besides, he reasoned, he'd like the use of his ears for at least a couple more years.  
  
"So, Meatball Head, what can I get you?"  
  
Serena giggled again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "You," she said.  
  
Darien sweatdropped. This is too weird, he thought to himself. "Umm. Sorry, I don't think I'm on the menu."  
  
Serena sniffed wistfully. Tears began to gather in her eyes. "WAAHH! MY DARIEN DOESN'T LOVE ME ANYMORE!"  
  
Darien flinched. "Meatball Head," he whined, "please stop crying! I'll-- here, I'll give you-- three cheeseburgers and two orders of fries. Free. On me," he said. Boy, I'm getting myself into debt today, he thought.  
  
Serena stopped crying and her sunny face brightened once again. "Two milkshakes too?" she said hopefully.  
  
"Two milkshakes too," he agreed.  
  
"YAY!" Serena screamed happily. "MY DARIEN LOVES ME AFTER ALL!"  
  
"Umm." (AN: Made no sense to you? If so, I recommend reading May I Take Your Order? Yes, I'm a shameless self-promoter-- sometimes. *sweatdrops*)  
  
********  
  
Serena walked slowly out of Burger King's cold atmosphere, goosebumps crawling along her exposed skin as her body made contact with the humid air. She glanced back at the counter, where Darien was patiently taking orders from irate customers. She smiled tremulously at him and he caught her gaze in a wink. Her heart rose happily, along with a catch in her throat.  
  
********  
  
Serena was, once again, at Burger King. A day had passed-- an agonizing day during which she had chastised herself for acting a fool. Sitting on the tile floor of a fastfood restaurant wailing about a lover who had never loved her in this life wasn't high on the Ways To Get Darien To Love Me list. (AN: Where can *I* find such a list? ^_^;;) She thought uneasily that she had probably cost Darien his paycheck. She shrugged-- his paycheck? Heck, she had probably sent him into debt until next summer!  
  
But she had been so hungry, and the sight of him in that uniform had been enough to send her into seventh heaven. Apparently Darien wasn't attracted to the drooling, groveling type. She shrugged. "Drool as groupie" had been #23 on the list anyway. She closed her eyes dreamily, stopping on the sidewalk.  
  
Ah, yes. There he was. Sweet, suave black curls falling deliciously over his broad forehead. Midnight eyes, stormy and soft at the same time, gazing at her sardonically. Straight, arrogant, noble nose. Those tantalizingly perfect lips, smirking in their mockery. Polo shirt with two buttons unhooked, giving her a glimpse of his *very* muscular chest. (AN: Got carried away there . . . ) Normal fit khakis. Serena let her mind's eye wander up, higher and higher.  
  
A visor. An ugly, dull purple visor. "Burger King" emblazoned in a dank green.  
  
She lowered her gaze, looking directly in front of her. Dull purple, dank green.  
  
Serena's eyes popped open, nose wrinkling. "Darien has no fashion sense," she said aloud, forgetting conveniently that he was required to wear a uniform.  
  
She shrugged. Sure, the outfit had been ugly. But she knew she preferred it to the olive green blazer usually slung across his broad shoulders.  
  
She stopped in front of the glass doors. She had an apology to make. And an order of rings to go had her name on them.  
  
********  
  
"Burger King. Can I take your order?"  
  
"Rings to go, please," Serena requested. As the brunette teenager rung up her order, she asked, "Excuse me . . . do you know who Darien is?"  
  
"Darien Chiba, you mean?"  
  
Serena smiled prettily, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously at the admiring junior. "Do you know where he is?"  
  
Mike shrugged. "He quit yesterday."  
  
"He . . . quit." It was a statement, not a question.  
  
"Yeah. He said something about stress." Mike shook his head. "I didn't understand, really. The guy was really immovable, but then he just up and left, claiming he couldn't take it anymore."  
  
"Oh." Serena stared at the ground for a moment before smiling up at the captivated Burger King employee. "Well, thanks, Mike. I'll take these rings and go."  
  
********  
  
Darien was slumped at his usual seat in the Crown Arcade, thinking sadly about the money he had blown in his generosity the day before. He conveniently forgot the fat trust he had in Switzerland, as well as the Porsche in his garage. His Armani dress shirt, which fit comfortably and tightly around his muscles, also escaped his notice.  
  
"Darien?" a sweet voice asked timidly.  
  
His heart beat faster; he would know that ray of sunshine anywhere. "Hello, Meatball Head," he turned calmly. He braced himself for the inevitable outburst that he always secretly enjoyed.  
  
Serena's large blue eyes glinted sadly, almost sparkling with-- unshed tears? He leaned closer to question her eyes, but she turned away shyly, blushing red. "Uh, Darien, I'm just . . . I'm just so sorry for the way I acted yesterday. There was absolutely no excuse."  
  
Whatever he had been expecting, that apology wasn't it. He shrugged forgivingly and smiled. "Serena, forget it. It was nothing."  
  
The short blonde reached into the pocket of her shorts, unknowingly drawing his attention to her pants.  
  
Or lack thereof.  
  
Darien drew his breath in sharply. Her legs were long for her body height, and their slightly tanned length stretched luxuriously to reach the ground gracefully in a pair of small Adidas unisex shoes. The navy blue material of the boardshorts contrasted with the white of Serena's T-shirt, whose bottom rested a good two inches under her waistline. He shook his head to clear it. Stop it, Chiba, he told himself. Of course, he had seen shorter shorts. And in his modeling days, he'd seen women wear a lot less-- and gotten paid for it, too.  
  
Serena was staring at him curiously. "No, Darien, I totally insist. I insist on paying for yesterday's . . . order."  
  
That made Darien emit his usual witty comment, "Huh?"  
  
Serena's face remained patient as she waved a fistful of bills in front of his face. "Here you go, Darien. It's for yesterday." She grasped his hand in hers and, prying the fingers loose, gently dropped the currency into his opened palm. Then, flinging a smile carelessly in his direction, she left the arcade.  
  
********  
  
"Well, *I* thought the cashier was hot," Mina defended herself.  
  
Raye rolled her eyes. "Mina, you think *everyone's* hot." The raven-haired priestess tipped her head to a side as she stared back to the counter. "He's only sort of cute."  
  
Lita broke in excitedly, "Hey, from this angle, he looks just like my old boyfriend!" Her four friends facefaulted. "What?" she snapped.  
  
Amy recovered quickly and studied the male carefully. "According to my calculations, the guy in question is quite attractive."  
  
Raye sweatdropped, then nudged Serena, "What do *you* think, Serena?"  
  
Serena sighed, glancing obligingly towards the front of Burger King. Her cerulean gaze fixed dreamily on a broad back and the handsome profile that laughed. "Absolutely dreamy," she muttered.  
  
Amy tugged on Serena's sleeve. "Eh? Serena, the cashier is that-- ohhh." She had followed her friend's eyes and seen the young man she was presently drooling over. She smiled slyly. "Darien *is* hot, isn't he?"  
  
"WHAT?!" Serena demanded loudly. "Amy, are you saying you-- "  
  
Mina giggled, "No, silly. Like, we'd have to be sooo totally clueless to not realize that you liked him! It's always 'Darien this' and 'Darien that.' Like, you never stop talking about him!"  
  
Lita put in, "Wait, so Serena likes Darien?" Everyone facefaulted. "What?" she asked, irritated. "I didn't notice." Large sweatdrops appeared on their heads as they stared, wide-eyed at their tall, brunette friend. "Well, you have good taste, Serena. He looks *just* like my old boyfriend!"  
  
When her friends had risen again, they had big bandages wrapped around the bumps on their heads. Raye was the first to recover, grabbing Serena and shaking her. "We do have one question for you, Meatball Head. We all know you like him-- but does he know?" She gestured dramatically at the olive Armani suit.  
  
"No." The word was desperate and low.  
  
Mina put her arm around Serena's shoulder, saying, "Well, would you like him to know?"  
  
Serena's tears shone with tears. "Well, you all know how . . . we're supposed to be destined, what with the Moon Kingdom and all." Four heads nodded simultaneously. "Well-- at first I fought it, because he'd always been so nasty to me-- before the Luna Mind Melt made me a scout again, my first memory of him was in a hospital. I was volunteering and he'd supposedly been in a motorcycle accident. There he was, head bandaged, and I walked in and felt some sort of de ja vu and warmth. But then he opened his mouth, 'Your hair looks like meatballs.' There was never a more insensitive guy, I tell you.  
  
"When I realized we had to be together sooner or later, half of me was devastated and the other half secretly pleased. And when I was drooling all over him a few months ago, it was partly because I was afraid I'd lose him to Ann-- and yet . . . after we took care of Jordan together, I began seeing him for who he was in *this* life and not as a charming prince from millennia ago. And I liked what I saw-- he was so sensitive with Jordan and I thought maybe he cared for me, a little. I think that's when I truly began to fall for him.  
  
"Of course, he's drop-dead gorgeous. And he's a jerk, most of the time. But I've seen him when he's vulnerable, when he's genuinely upset. This expression starts in his sensitive eyes and they get all stormy and dark. And it's just so alien that I just want to hug him and treat him like my child, brushing his hair out of his eyes and wiping his tears away. I really do-- think I love him . . . not because Luna says I must. God knows I've tried hard to fight it, but I guess I--   
  
"But I'm afraid. I know he'd laugh if he heard me say anything like this to him. It'd be just like him to make fun of me as I poured out my feelings, which mean the world to me."  
  
********  
  
Andrew leaned nonchalantly back against the vinyl booth in Burger King. "So, Darien, what's up with you and Serena?"  
  
Darien's dark head snapped up quickly. "What are you talking about, Drew?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
The handsome arcade worker laughed and shrugged. "Darien, don't get so defensive." The taller man relaxed his shoulders slightly, leaning back against his own chair. "I'm just saying-- I'd be a fool if I didn't notice that you have feelings for the blonde." He chose to ignore the glare shot in his direction by a pair of cold blue eyes. Looking beyond his best friend, he saw five gorgeous teenaged girls walking in his direction, talking and laughing. With a mischievous glint in his eye that the annoyed Darien failed to see, he commented, slightly loudly, "Yeah, Darien. Serena's a good choice. She's nice and sweet and sunny-- just what you need in your miserable life. You like her; why don't you admit it?" Andrew noted with amusement that Serena and her friends had stopped just behind Darien, stunned. "And how can you fail to notice that she's drop-dead gorgeous?" Darien grunted, put-out. "Long blond hair, bright blue eyes, cute nose, sweet smile . . . come on, Darien," Andrew prompted.  
  
"ANDREW!" Darien growled, voice growing louder with each word. "Is it *that* hard to see, you nitwit? Can't you see that the *only* emotion I could ever have for that scatterbrained, clumsy, stupid Meatball Brains is hatred? She annoys me to death. I admit she has entertainment value-- they should put her on Comedy Central as a standup act. Stars, even her *voice* annoys me. Sure, it's sweet, but too sugary for my tastes-- too bright. Get it through your thick-- "  
  
"So, Darien, is that what you think of me?" Serena's voice was quiet and her lips were trembling. Her sweet voice was laced with pain and tears threatened to spill.  
  
Darien felt something squeeze at his heart. "Serena, no, I-- "  
  
"Why didn't you say something?" she asked slowly. "I thought we were at least friends, but I guess I was wrong."  
  
"Serena, just-- "  
  
"Well, I don't understand anything. After all, I'm scatterbrained, clumsy, and stupid. I used to think you were vulnerable and sweet underneath your hard, cold exterior, but I guess I was wrong, as always. I really thought that you just teased me as a way of friendship-- and now I find out I was just a-- just a source of entertainment for you. Well, I guess I . . . I guess the dumbest thing I've ever done is . . . " She burst into tears and sobbed, "Darien, I fell in love with you! Goodbye," she whispered, running out of the restaurant.  
  
Andrew's face was stern. "Darien, you know you-- "  
  
"I didn't mean a word of it, I swear." Darien's usually sardonic voice was gone. "I-- "  
  
Mina had been watching his face closely and recognized his confusion and the emotions that had flickered across his handsome shell. "Darien, you silly boy. You're in love with her."  
  
"I-- " Darien opened his mouth to protest, then shut it again, abruptly. "Stars, I'm such a fool."  
  
"You're darn right! You *are* a fool, Darien!" Raye hissed at him.  
  
"Just a moment ago, she was telling us you'd react just as you did if she ever told you she loved you. But it looks as if you didn't need her, did you? A mere jibe and you blew up, breaking her heart," Lita said scornfully, frowning maliciously.  
  
"I-- "  
  
"What did you think you were doing?" Amy asked severely.  
  
"I seriously don't know." He raked his fingers through his hair tiredly, confusedly. "I just know that now I've-- " He sighed, feeling a clamp around his heart.  
  
Mina smiled kindly at her best friend's destiny. "Darien, she's probably in the park, by the waterfront."  
  
Darien stared for a moment, motionless, at the beautiful, kind girl in front of him. "Thank you," he managed finally, jumping out of his seat. He looked unsure of himself, and afraid, as he ran after his Meatball Head.  
  
********  
  
Serena watched the tranquil lake. She leaned her body against the rail carefully, grimacing at her reflection. It was distorted and her eyes were red with crying. A tear dropped dramatically into the pool below, disturbing the waters. "How could he ever love someone like me?" she whispered into the breeze, letting it caress her face.  
  
"Oh, I can think of a million reasons, Serena."  
  
She froze, seeing in the water another reflection. It was much longer than hers, and masculine.  
  
Darien rested his arms on the rail, beside her, and bent forward casually. "Beautiful."  
  
Serena was confused, but she drew what little remained of her pride around her, almost like   
a regal cloak, and said stiffly, "The lake?"  
  
Darien smiled, saying, "Yes, of course. Look into it."  
  
Startled, Serena did as she bade him and commented reverently, "Darien, look at the sunset reflected on the waters. Isn't it-- "  
  
"Beautiful?" he filled in. "Yes, but not as beautiful as what I had in mind."  
  
"What . . . did you have in mind?" she breathed bitterly. "Yourself? Don't be so conceited."  
  
"Actually," he said, trying to ignore her acid remark, "I was talking about the matchless girl beside me." Serena was very still as her mind churned with a million accusations and questions. As though he could read her mind, Darien became serious and said, "Serena, I wasn't thinking back there, at Burger King. I'm not making excuses for myself, understand, please-- but I've always been afraid of . . . of-- well, you know, Serena. I'm afraid of love. Stars, I'm even afraid of friends. When I was nine, my parents died in a car accident. I'm sure I must have been a happy kid before then, but when I woke up, I had no memories.  
  
"I was sent to an orphanage. I didn't have a lot of friends there because I had no idea who I was. Darien? It was just a name, probably not even mine. The other kids there called me a freak. All except one, whose name was Julia.  
  
"I really don't remember much about Julia anymore. I can't remember what she looked like, but I do know she was kind and sweet and loving, to everyone, including me. The sweetest trick of saying, 'Darien, come sit here with me. You look lonely.' At my age, I really thought she was my soulmate. She told me she loved me and I was absolutely thrilled, as can be imagined." He gave a bitter laugh. "But then the bullies at the orphanage started teasing her about hanging out with Darien, the freak. She immediately stopped even smiling at me, and the ray of sunshine in my life disappeared. A couple of months later, she was run over by a car."  
  
Serena put out a sympathetic hand to touch his shoulder. "Darien, I-- " She was on the verge of tears.  
  
Darien continued, tears pooling in his eyes. "After she was gone, the only friends I had were the cats of the courtyard and an old woman who lived next door named Mary Furuhata. Stars, I loved her. She treated me special, like I was her grandson. She even offered to adopt me, but of course the officials said no. After all, an old woman without a pension couldn't possibly take care of a growing teenager." Once again, bitterness touched his eyes. "They released me from the orphanage when I turned fifteen, telling me that my parents had been rich and that I had a comfortable allowance in a lawyer's hands. I moved to Tokyo to try to forget everything. I'd been here for only a month when I got a phone call. Mary had suffered a stroke, and the funeral was to be in two days."  
  
"Oh, Darien."  
  
"You know, Andrew's last name is Furuhata. I met him at a funeral. Ironic, isn't it?"  
  
"Oh, Darien." Serena resisted the impulse to fling herself into his arms. "I-- "  
  
"So I'm afraid to love anyone. Serena, everyone I've loved has died. I've built up walls of defense, but you-- you and Andrew have worn down my defenses. Because of Andrew, I've learned friendship is a priceless necessity. Because of you, Serena-- well, you've taught me to hope and how to-- how to . . . " His voice died in his throat. He whispered slowly, "Serena, I'm afraid I've messed everything up. With what I said-- I swear I didn't mean anything. Stars, when I see your smile, it lights up my day. Everything you do is unique, and adorable, and I steel myself against feeling for you. You're clumsy, Serena, but have I ever told you what those few seconds when you've fallen into my arms feel like? I promise you: I wait for you to fall and I know that deep in my heart I wish you'd fall for me, too, not just onto me. I said you're stupid, but I was lying; your heart is so clever, understanding things far beyond your years. I've been such a jerk and all you've ever done is show concern for me. I said you were imperfect, but I was lying; I can't find a fault within you. The things I said were your faults-- if you didn't have them, I'd still love you, but I'd know something was missing. You'd be a Serena without the 'Serena' in her, and I'd go through life wondering what it was that was gone. I love you so much it hurts, Serena, but I don't want to pressure you, because I know you-- and you're so sweet and pure you'd do anything just to make someone happy-- but Serena, I love you. I've fought it-- not because of you, understand-- but because of me. Now I'm afraid that . . . that I've lost you." There was fear in his voice, in his last whispered words and Darien hesitated to glance at Serena, not wishing her to see his desperation or the tears of his heart.  
  
Two small arms wound gently around his waist as a small head burrowed into his chest. "Darien, I forgive and love you. Always and forever." Two cool hands crept their way up to his chin and pulled his face down as she melted against him. Their lips met and the tears were swept away.  
  
********  
  
"Our love is like a rose. Beautiful when it's in bloom, but it can't last forever." Darien shook his head over the cup of coffee as he recalled his words of but half an hour ago. He conjured up the image of Sailor Moon. Stars, but she was beautiful. The confusion was overwhelming as she stared incredulously at him before sinking to her knees and crying, "Noo!" He regretted his harsh words, but he couldn't take them back.  
  
He savored the memory of his lips on hers. His heart had been leaping out of his chest when he had hopped off the motorcycle and seen the beautiful heroine lying limp, life being sucked away. Tuxedo Mask had wasted no time in getting to her. He vaguely remembered a breakdown over his beloved princess before he had bent down and kissed her.  
  
At first, there had been nothing. Her lips, which he had craved but hadn't touched in months, were cold and motionless. Then, gradually the energy had flowed back into her, and her mouth had grown warm. Was that-- a response from her? Perhaps he had merely imagined it. But then she had opened her eyes and murmured, "Darien."  
  
And his shield had risen again, back in place. She was confused; he knew it before her expressive eyes mirrored her emotions. As he had turned to go after their battle, Sailor Moon had called, "Tuxedo Mask! You love me! I know you do! You saved me-- "  
  
"Sailor Moon, listen to me. Our love is like a rose. Beautiful when it's in bloom, but it can't last forever," he had cut her off. He had focused his energy into the rose that lay at Sailor Moon's feet, willing it to blacken and wither. It had obeyed its master.  
  
"Noo!" It had been the cry of a broken woman, not a child.  
  
Darien prepared to leave Burger King, wadding his napkin into his empty, styrofoam cup.  
  
"I'm sorry, Serena. This is the way it has to be."  
  
"Not if I can help it," a feminine, determined voice answered. A petite blonde blocked his way out of the booth with her lithe, supple body. "Darien, we have to talk."  
  
Darien looked away painfully, with resolve written in every line of his face. "There's nothing to talk about, Serena. We're through."  
  
"Darien," Serena said firmly, "stop lying to me. I know you still love me-- stars, Darien, don't look at me like that. I can read your heart and I *know* you still care." She looked smugly at Darien's unbelieving expression. "Our link, Darien. Don't you remember?"  
  
He was suddenly very tired. "Serena, you don't understand. I told you I was afraid of love because-- "  
  
"Because everyone you've loved has died," Serena filled in. "I know, Darien. But I promise you, Darien, I won't die because of you. There's no use pretending anymore, sweet. I've dreamt your dream too, but I choose not to believe it."  
  
His fist clenched angrily as he stormed, "Then if you've seen it, Serena, you-- "  
  
"You know why I won't believe it?" Serena gave a small cry. "Because, in my dreams, I sometimes see our enemies. Enemies without faces-- and they defeat us, badly. We're left as nothing but empty shells, and they've conquered the world. But Darien-- good prevails always, and our love can conquer all.  
  
"I want to live for the moment, Darien. What I know is that I love you, and it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved before. When I'm with you, when you're loving me, everything else fades away. I want it again, Darien . . . can you give it to me?" Serena was pleading, all pride thrown away. She was crying, too-- suddenly she wasn't sure she knew the man seated with her anymore. So much had changed, so much had happened-- what if . . . ?  
  
Darien made a fierce sound and whispered, "Princess, it would take a lifetime to explain how much I'd give you." He buried his face in her hair as they clung together silently. There was no need for words; the language of love was clear between them, hanging in the fragrant air.  
  
********  
  
Dull purple, dank green. Serena stared at herself in her full-length mirror. The polo shirt tucked neatly and securely into her comfortable khakis was ugly and scratchy-- and dull purple, dank green. She smiled dreamily at herself in the mirror as she braided her hair simply into a long french braid. With a swift motion, a small, graceful hand lifted the Vanilla and Cherry Blossoms vial off her semi-cluttered dresser and spritzed herself lightly with the heavenly scent. Serena sighed, looking anxiously at the perfume bottle. It ought to last her until Christmas.  
  
It had been a tradition for Raye to give Serena perfume at Christmas every year. The first year, she'd presented her with a selection from Bath and Body Works: Pearberry. The second had been a few months after Serena's new relationship with Darien, and Raye had fittingly found Rose Whispers. The third Christmas, Serena had finally gotten back together with Darien after a heartwrenching breakup to lose him to Harvard University, and Raye had offered Daffodil Sunshine as a substitute for the male sunshine of her life. This fourth Christmas, Raye had concocted her own creation without a fancy market name. It was a lighthearted, utterly Serena-smelling spray of vanilla and cherry blossoms. (AN: Yes, I know I got this idea from *several* other authors. Just in keeping with tradition, ne?)  
  
The junior year of high school had been a whirlwind of change for Serena. Amy had, after all, gone to London to study, and Serena had found herself suddenly without a nagger about her bad grades and her lazy attitude about school. Quite surprisingly, the lack of opposition for her first few weeks of moping had made her determined to prove to everyone, especially her Darien, that she was good enough. Her grades had pulled up. There had been a couple of B's, but not on her report card. Serena had known humbly she could never compare to Amy or Darien with their 4.6 averages, but she was pulling a 3.7 and satisfied with herself.  
  
Darien had stopped writing abruptly in early November. At first she had brushed it off   
uneasily, crediting it to his busy college schedule. She had written faithfully to him once every week, filling her now-eloquent letters with spicy, gossipy news and, of course, protestations of love and reminisces of their many pasts together. He had never returned her epistles.  
  
Finally, in February she had received a medium-sized and surprisingly light box from Harvard University. She had cried when she read the letters enclosed in it. He had written her once a day-- but he had waited for Valentines' Day to send them to her with an adorable white teddy bear that clearly said "I love you" without words. And yet his letters had been full of fear and doubt: "Serena, darling, if you want to be free, just say the word. I can't let you live through high school without a normal boyfriend," and "I'm afraid every day that you'll accept one of the sweet guys who asks you out," and "Serena, what did I ever do to deserve you? Your letters are the sunshine of my lonely college existence-- and yet I'm sure you wait there impatiently for my replies that never come."  
  
Life was, Serena reflected, bearable without a boyfriend-- although she had sung a different tune when she was asked to both the junior and senior proms at her school. She hadn't complained, however; never to Darien would she dream of even hinting that his fears had even shaky foundations.  
  
She sighed. It was summer and she needed to get to her shift at Burger King. Placing the once-condemned ugly visor on her shapely head, she walked resolutely out the door. She had gone to work already eighteen days. She could last another without thinking about Darien in their special place.  
  
********  
  
A young man stood just in the doorway of Burger King, watching the friendly cashier. Her shimmering silver-blond hair swept backwards into a long french braid. The man remembered Serena's old complaints of the dull purple visor, and yet it rested peacefully on her small head. Her eyes had remained the same, he reflected. They were crystal blue, with the world in their depths. *His* world was all in the tiny, beautiful blonde at the counter.  
  
He waited until the line wore thin, then made his way to the counter.  
  
"Burger King. May I take your order?" Serena asked cheerily, glancing up at the tall, dark-haired . . .   
  
Oh, my.  
  
It couldn't be Darien; Serena shook her head decidedly, attempting to clear it. It had been a hard day at work and her mind was playing tricks on her, she told herself sternly. But surely-- the man in front of her *had* to be Darien. The stormy blue eyes were tempestuous as they gazed at her, enticing a blush to rise in her cheeks. Broad shoulders were encased in an Armani suit, quite as she remembered. The color was not olive green; it was somewhere between the color of his eyes and black ebony, the color of his hair, which fell boyishly over his forehead.  
  
His eyes. Eyes were the windows to one's soul, she reminded herself, and this man's radiated with love and unmistakable admiration for her.  
  
"Hello, Serena. Tell me," Darien's voice asked, "what would you recommend?"  
  
The voice matched his perfectly, deep and resonant as always. "Their onion rings are excellent," she offered professionally, ignoring the pounding of her heart. "If you're busy, Darien, I suggest you get them to go."  
  
Darien's mouth curved upwards charmingly. "Actually, Serena, I came by because I bought *us* some rings."  
  
"Oh?" Serena was confused. She brushed a lock of loose hair back with her fingers.  
  
Darien reached slowly into his pocket, drawing from them two velvet boxes. He placed them carefully on the counter, pushing one towards his girlfriend.  
  
Serena reached out hesitantly.  
  
"Open it, please, love."  
  
She gasped.  
  
A ring rested placidly against navy velvet. A deeply sparkling opal, cut cunningly in the shape of a heart, glinted in the inset. Six tiny sapphires winked around the milky stone, fastened to a small gold band.   
  
"Do you like it?" he asked anxiously.  
  
"Like it?" Serena breathed. "I love it . . . but, Darien, why the . . . ?"  
  
He took the ring from her box in his long fingers, staring at its perfection. Then, kneeling quickly on the dirty floor, he murmured, "Marry me, Serena?"  
  
Hurriedly she rushed out from behind the counter and threw herself into his strong arms. "Yes, Darien! A thousand times yes!" she half-cried, half-laughed, showering his cheeks with butterfly kisses.  
  
He caught hold of her lips in his own, kissing his fiance fiercely. He made a strange sound and whispered, "I missed you so, sweet," against her mouth before reclaiming her hungry lips. After a long, blissful moment, he quietly felt for her left hand, which was entwined in his hair. Gently he pulled away from her and slipped his promise onto her slender ring finger.  
  
"Oh, Darien . . . it looks so . . . happy there," Serena whispered.  
  
Sure enough, the opal drew from within itself green and golden lights, smiling underneath their gazes.  
  
Darien grabbed the other velvet box and opened it. He took the ring almost reverently out and slipped it onto his matching ring finger. Serena leaned over his hand. "Let me see!" she said childishly. Darien laughed but obliged.  
  
Darien's ring was gold. A dragon was imprinted around its eternal length. It was intricately carved as a work of art and the whole ring had a very masculine, if somewhat unspectacular, air to it.  
  
Serena's breath tickled his hand. Darien looked down at his treasure, his princess. Stars, she was beautiful. She looked like a star, shining and glittering brightly in the dark cloak of his life and the mysteries their past represented. Her hair, which had always been golden, had somehow woven strands of silver into its length. Darien attributed it to her mother, Queen Selenity. Bathed in light, she seemed angelic and otherworldly. Darien's mouth tightened, and he took his hand in hers.  
  
There was a question in her beautiful eyes as she gazed wordlessly up at her prince. Slowly, romantically slowly, he brushed his lips against her knuckles, lingering on his ring. A violent blush spread across her creamy cheeks, and he smiled at the innocent, yet utterly lovable girl in front of him.  
  
"Serena Tsukino!" an older male voice called.  
  
The pair turned to face Serena's manager.  
  
"Mr. Masakii?" Darien asked, recognizing him from his own experiences.  
  
The manager stared at him a moment, then turned back to his employee. "What are you doing, consorting with this . . . this man?"  
  
Darien cut in. "She was merely filling my order, sir." Serena blushed fiercely, shooting daggers up at him. His eyes were confident in their gaze. Trust me, he told her.  
  
"Wh . . . what?" Mr. Masakii sputtered indignantly.  
  
"I ordered rings to go," Darien finished smoothly. He held up her left hand in his, letting the rings catch the light. "And she said yes."  
  
Mr. Masakii's eyes softened. "Then I must congratulate you," he bowed politely. "I remember when I first proposed to my wife." A dreamy look descended onto his middle-aged features briefly. Then he coughed and turned sternly to the small blonde. "Well, what are you waiting for, Serena? Get out of here; I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
Serena's eyes widened with delight. "Mr. Masakii!" she cried happily. "Do you mean it?"  
  
"I never say anything I don't mean," he said gruffly.  
  
Impulsively, she hugged her employer, blushing. "Thank you. You have no idea how much I appreciate . . . "  
  
He waved a hand to cut her off. "Get out of here!"  
  
Darien nodded his head in the manager's direction before drawing Serena close to his side and pushing their way out of the restaurant, the setting sun catching on the rings.  
  
"Rings to go," Mr. Masaki muttered. "I don't think so. To me it looked like those rings are going to stay."  
  
~~~*~~~*@ @*~~~*~~~  
  
AN: I'm finished. I'm actually finished. *rubs forehead* You know, I've decided that I'll probably stop posting things unless I have them all finished. It might take a long time, but it's better than leaving readers cliff-hanging for months on end since my inspiration comes and goes like the rain on a summer day. *sweatdrops* Eh, yeah, bad analogy. Anywayz, about this ficcy-- well, first things first. Was the whole meaning of the ficcy hard to grasp? Let me briefly explain: Serena's favorite fast foods are onion rings. Burger King is important to the couple because significant things in their lives happened there: (1) they became friends because of it, (2) the got together because of it, (3) they were brought back together in the restaurant, and (4) they pledged an engagement in the front of the store. Confused? Sorriez. ^_^ Any comments, flames, or suggestions can be sent to spots_goil@juno.com OR Dariens_Bunny@sailormoon.com.  
Thanks to: my wonderful spell-check.  
"If I am a jewel, as a dear friend once flirtatiously dubbed me, I am an opal. Fiery ice swirling in the milk-white of innocence. Passion and compassion. Myself to the core." Surprisingly enough, I wrote that. It's just to clarify any questions on my strange pen-name. 


End file.
